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Aya Nakahara's Otonanajimi Romantic Comedy Manga Gets Live-Action Film Next May
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Toei announced on Monday that it is producing a live-action film adaptation of Aya Nakahara's Otonanajimi (Adulthood Friends) manga that will open on May 12, 2023. Mizuki Inoue (live-action Tomodachi Game R4, Yowamushi Pedal film, left in image below) from the HiHi Jets male idol group will play Haru Aoyama in the film, while Rinka Kumada (live-action Marry Me!, Seishun Cinderella, right) will play Kaede Kagaya. (The photo below recreates the cover art on the manga's first volume.)
Hiroto Takahashi is directing the film, with a script by Erika Yoshida.
The manga's romantic comedy story centers on childhood friends Kaede Kagaya and Haru Aoyama. Ever since they were four years old, Haru has been helping out Kaede, and Kaede has held a secret crush on Haru ever since — two decades later. But now, thanks to a different girl making a pass on Haru, and the entrance of a different male childhood friend named Iori, things might finally start moving in a romantic direction for Kaede and Haru. (The manga's title is a wordplay on the Japanese words otona [adult] and osananajimi [childhood friends].)
Nakahara launched the Otonanajimi manga in Shueisha's Cocohana magazine in March 2019, and ended it in October 2021. The manga's eighth and final compiled book volume shipped in December 2021.
Nakahara launched the Dame na Watashi ni Koishite Kudasai manga in Shueisha's Monthly You magazine in April 2013, and ended it in August 2016. Shueisha published 10 compiled book volumes for the manga. Nakahara launched the Dame na Watashi ni Koishite Kudasai R sequel manga in Monthly You in October 2016, and ended the series in its sixth volume, which shipped in November 2018. The manga inspired a live-action television series adaptation in January 2016.
Viz Media published Nakahara's Love*Com manga's 17 volumes in North America, and Viz Pictures released the manga's live-action film adaptation on DVD. Discotek Media released the 2007 television anime series adaptation in North America in July 2013. Nakahara also launched the Ōkami to Suzu (The Wolf and the Bell) manga in Cocohana in November 2021.
Sources: Otonanajimi live-action film's website, Comic Natalie
